My phone vibrates like a body from the cold,
Soon to be my body
Do I want to play hockey after school?
Do I ever!
Put on two pair of socks
Put on my long johns
Put on my pants
Two long-sleeved shirts and a sweater
Grab my hat, grab my gloves, grab my skates and my stick and my puck.
Why is there so much preparation for this game?
I grab the keys and race to the rink
Faster Faster Faster
We’ve made it!
Now I know how a Muslim feels when he makes it to Mecca.
Slam the door and race to the bench,
Why must it take so long to lace up my skates?
My fingers are turning into ice!
Tighter, they must go tighter!
Ahhhhhh, time to go
Time to get on the ice
Swing my legs over the boards and I jump on the ice
Almost toppling over
The ice feels like silk under my skates
Gliding, gaining speed, faster, faster and then all of a sudden
STOP
My body contorts into a sudden arrest that sprays the ice everywhere
Like a water ride at Six Flags
I grab the puck
My hands juggling from both sides
Weaving in and out of defenders
I look at my target
The goal looming ahead
Coming closer into my view
I pick my spot above the goalie’s shoulder
I raise my stick
And SLAP the puck
It hits off the post with a RINGGGGG.
I’ve always liked that sound.